(They say): "Our Lord! Let not our hearts deviate (from the truth) after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from You. Truly, You are the Bestower," Aal-e-Imran [3:8]

This can be a very overwhelming feeling. You see, our humanity has this flaw that you will not find in other creation. We want to do all things, all at once! Multi-tasking, they call it. Supposedly a super human trait; but is it really? If so, then why do we need multivitamins and supplements to help us stay awake and alert? Why do we not get our proper 6-8 hours of sleep required to keep our bodies healthy? Why are so many of us suffering from stress and depression?

We do not function optimally because we do not serve our purpose.What is our ultimate purpose in life? Serving Allah and His deen (religion).

Learning About Life from Salmon

Animals know their path and stick to it. Bears hunt and feed in summer, then hibernate in winter. The salmon, WOW! What an amazing creature! A salmon’s life purpose is to be born in the fresh water lakes where its parents die. Then a young salmon journeys to the vast ocean to feed on the nutrients available there until it becomes full grown. Only to make the journey back to the spawning grounds, in the fresh water lakes where they were born. This is no easy feat. The swim upstream is already a challenge in itself; but they cannot make this journey without falling prey to the many perils along the way: predators at every turn, shallow waters, late rains and many more. The salmon cannot move on in their journey if the rainfall does not fill the rivers and create flow. All the while, their bodies are adjusting to the change from salt water to fresh. Many are not strong enough and their bodies will not survive. The low levels in the rivers mean they will easily be spotted by bears and foxes on the hunt. Their numbers steadily decline. Suddenly the season changes, the rains come, the rivers fill up and the salmon’s journey continues. Eventually they will reach the spawning grounds in the great lakes; tired, energy depleted, but their purpose must be fulfilled. They must immediately lay their eggs. This, the waters of their birth, of their predecessors’ death, will deal them the same fate, but it is not in vain. Their protein and nutrient enriched bodies will serve as food for humans and animals alike. The dead salmon will wash to the edges of the water and decompose to provide food for plants and birds too.

And so it is with us:

“And He is the one who gave you life; then He causes you to die and then will [again] give you life. Indeed, mankind is ungrateful.” [Qur'an: Chapter 22, Verse 66]

The journey in between is our life. The ocean is our early life full of salt (knowledge and lessons). Hasan al-Basrisaid:

“The effect of learning at an early age is like engraving on a stone.”

Swimming upstream is our challenges in life. The danger and the perils of predators that attack are our bad habits like procrastination, worrying, cowardice, depression and the delusion of this life like the verse of the Qur’an says:

“Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.” [Qur'an: Chapter 3, Verse 185]

Our spiritual selves will suffer many deaths if we are not strong and don’t do the right things to keep our souls revived through dhikr, Qur’an and salah. The shallow rivers are our times of adversity and tests:

“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.” [Qur'an: Chapter 2, Verse 155]

To survive and find the strength to persevere, we must be patient and remember our Creator, our purpose. The rains are like the blessings and favours from Allah:

The lake is our mature life: fresh water being the cleanliness of our souls if we have lived true to our purpose. We leave behind our offspring, who, if taught the deen correctly, will have an easier journey and avoid the pitfalls along the way. Our good works like charity and spreading knowledge are the nutrients left to enrich those we leave behind.

But there is one very important lesson we learn from the salmon: the salmon’s wait in the shallow rivers is similar to the time we face severe adversities and tests, and the way to survive that is be patient (sabr) and remember our Lord and our purpose.

To be productive, we can use the ‘downtime’, ‘resting’ or ‘solitude’ as a time to recuperate from the ‘active’ or ‘working’ time. This is not ‘holiday’ or ‘weekend’ or ‘fun’ time. This is different. Just as we divide our circle of life into work, study, play and rest, we further divide the ‘rest’ portion to include ‘solitude’.The purpose of solitude is to be alone. We are borne in the womb alone and we will go to our grave alone. Why then do we not set aside time in the midst of our lives, to be alone?

Benefits of a Solitude Routine

Solitude is a time to find joy for your soul: to re-energize the body and mind. To begin with, you must be alone. No disturbances. Retreat to your favorite place – a place where you normally find peace and quiet or a place that makes you happy. Lie down and just be. Listen to all the sounds you usually miss in a busy day. Do you hear the birds chirping? The wind in the trees? The sound of your heart beating? Feel the rhythm of your breathing. Now begin with Allah’s name and match it to your rhythm. You feel everything leave you. Your mind will be free of any thoughts; your body will be free of all tension. This is your solitude zone. You have eliminated the world.

It is in this time that you must do the things that will bring joy to your soul:

~your favourite dhikr will be more meaningful

~your favourite surah will impact you more deeply

~your journal writing will be most honest

~your power nap will be more energizing

~your reflection and contemplation will be more valuable (soul searching/listening to your heart)

~this is the perfect time to introspect and hold yourself accountable for all your words and deeds

~your goal setting will be clearer

Our soul/nafs (self) can be likened to a snake. If we do not control it and tame it, it can be a danger to us. When kept in check, coupled with salah, dhikr and good deeds, it is like the snake that is frozen beneath snow.

However, should we not make the time to reign it in and keep it under control, it will be as though the snow has melted and the heat has agitated the snake. It will now become wild and unrestrained and this will lead to temptation and sin. We will let shaytan win his battle without a fight and we will be responsible for our own downfall.

Umar said:

“ Criticize and appraise your selves before you are criticized and appraised on the Day of Judgement, and weigh out your deeds before they are weighed out for you.” [Ahmad]

How to Make Time for your Solitude Routine

If we perpetually perform this ritual of solitude and spark the joy in our souls by appraising ourselves and affording our souls the joy of experiencing worship without distraction, we will be successful in our lives, our spirituality and Hereafter.

Try to incorporate your solitude routine in to your schedule much the same as you would your other regular meetings. This way you commit time for it that cannot be taken away.

Decide how often you wish to have your solitude time. It is not prescribed for any particular interval, but just as you do a bi-annual dental check-up or annual medical or quarterly vacation, so too you should establish your frequency of this important time too.

Ensure that your chosen time cannot be compromised. If so, make it flexible so that if it is hijacked in the morning, you can still do it in the evening. It is however better that there is no compromise. Look at it like an appointment that once cancelled, will be charged double rate.

Plan ahead of time the activities that you will do in this time; this way you don’t waste time wondering what to do. Preparation is key. Also plan activities for everyone else so you have no disturbance; preferably away from you.

Hasan al-Basri said:

“Son of Adam, you are nothing but days. Whenever a day passes away, a part of you passes away too.”

Abdullah ibn Amr (Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said,

"This life is fleeting pleasure (mata`), and the best of its fleeting pleasures is a righteous wife."

[Related by Muslim, Nasa'i, and Ibn Maja]As is evident in the lexicons of Arabic, and the dictionaries of hadith language, mata`is used here in its linguistic sense of fleeting pleasure or provisions, and not in the sense of something one simply owns. [Ibn al-Mundhir, Lisan al-Arab; Ibn al-Athir, al-Nihaya fi Gharib al-Hadith] Ibn al-Athir says, "Mata` refers to anything one benefits from of worldly matters." [ibid.]

Those who seek to claim otherwise are superimposing their prejudices on the beautiful words of the Beloved Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Meaning of The Hadith

In this hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) describes the wife as being the best of fleeting worldly pleasures for her husband because is a source of true, meaningful, and deep joy in this life, and is one of the strongest of provisions on one's journey to Allah and the Next Life--alluding to the two abovementioned senses of the word mata`('fleeting pleasure'), and reminding us to turn to Allah in our worldly affairs, such as marriage, in order that their joy and benefit be eternal.

What About Women?

The very same applies in the case of women in regards to their husbands: the best of the fleeting pleasures and provisions of this life for women is a righteous husband.

This is understood from the very text of the hadith if one appreciates the fact that Arabs traditionally refrained from explicit public mention of women in some contexts, as it could be construed as immodest or undignified. However, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) reminded us that,

"Women are the co-sharers of men,"

when it comes to the address of the Qur'an and Sunna and when it comes to rights and responsibilities--Allah tells us about the Qur'an that,

"This is indeed an exposition for all humanity, and a guidance and reminder for those of piety."

"Allah beautified worldly life with seven pleasures that He mentioned in His words [in the Qur'an],

'Beautified for mankind [is love of the joys of women and offspring; and stored-up heaps of gold and silver, and horses branded, and cattle and land. That is comfort of the life of the world. Allah! With Him is a more excellent abode.'

(Qur'an, 3.14)]

These seven pleasures are the sources of joy in worldly life, and the goals of those who seek worldly matters.

The most general of this beautification and most tremendous in import is the desire for women, for a woman protects her husband from the haram, and assists him in fulfilling his worldly and religious duties. Every worldly pleasure that assists one in attaining unto the pleasures of the Next Life is beloved to Allah, and its seeker finds joy in it in this life as a blessing and comfort from Allah and also because it is a means of attaining unto the Pleasure of their Lord and a joy most lasting..." [Munawi, Fayd al-Qadir, 3.548-549]

Thus, there is nothing offensive in this hadith. Rather, it gives us a beautiful look into the deep well of meanings that is the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), whose words and example are living commentaries of the Qur'an for all those who reflect and seek good.

Allah tells us,

"Truly, you have in the Messenger of Allah a most beautiful example for whoever seeks Allah and the Last Day and makes much remembrance of Allah." [Qur'an, 33.21]

And Allah alone gives success.~*~*~

Source: Faraz Rabbani (http://qa.sunnipath.com)

Link to original article: http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=4804&CATE=120

There was a young man who went overseas to study for quite a long time. When he returned, he asked his parents to find him a religious scholar or any expert who could answer his 3 Questions. Finally, his parents were able to find a Muslim scholar.

Young man: Who are you? Can you answer my questions?

Scholar: I am one of Allah (SubHana Wa Ta`ala )'s slaves and Insha-Allah (God willing), I will be able to answer your questions.

Young man: Are you sure? A lot of Professors and experts were not able to answer my questions.

Scholar: I will try my best, with the help of Allah(SubHana Wa Ta`ala).

Young Man: I have 3 questions:

1. Does God exist? If so, show me His shape.

2. What is takdir (fate)?

3. If shaitan (Devil) was created from the fire, why at the end he will be thrown to hell that is also created from fire. It certainly will not hurt him at all, since Shaitan (Devil) and the hell were created from fire. Did God not think of it this far?

Suddenly, the Scholar slapped the young man's face very hard.

Young Man (feeling pain): Why do you get angry at me?

Scholar: I am not angry. The slap is my answer to your three questions.

Young Man: I really don't understand.

Scholar: How do you feel after I slapped you?

Young Man: Of course, I felt the pain.

Scholar: So do you believe that pain exists?

Young Man: Yes.

Scholar: Show me the shape of the pain!

Young Man: I cannot.

Scholar: That is my first answer. All of us feel God's existence without being able to see His shape... Last night, did you dream that you will be slapped by me?

Young Man: No.

Scholar: Did you ever think that you will get a slap from me, today?

Young Man: No.

Scholar: That is takdir (fate)........ My hand that I used to slap you, what is it created from?

Young Man: It is created from flesh.

Scholar: How about your face, what is it created from?

Young Man: Flesh.

Scholar: How do you feel after I slapped you?

Young Man: In pain.

Scholar: Even though Shaitan (Devil) and also the hell were created from the fire, if Allah wants, insha-Allah (God willing), the hell will become a very painful place for Shaitan (Devil)

We often dream about a perfectly unified Ummah, since it seems a bit farfetched right now, we can take steps toward unifying our Ummah. One simple hadith, can contribute significantly to the unification of our Ummah because it protects our relationships from enmity, which strengths our community, which ultimately will lead to unification. This hadith offers simple advice which has strong effects.

“Once, a person was verbally abusing Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) while the Prophet (peace be upon him) was curiously watching with a smile. After taking much abuse quietly, Abu Bakr responded to a few of his comments. At this, the Prophet exhibited his disapproval, got up and left. Abu Bakr caught up with the Prophet and wondered, ‘O Messenger of Allah, he was abusing me and you remained sitting. When I responded to him, you disapproved and got up.’ The Messenger of Allah responded,

‘There was an angel with you responding to him. When you responded to him, Shaytan took his place.’ He then said:

‘O Abu Bakr, there are three solid truths: If a person is wronged and he forbears it (without seeking revenge) just for the sake of Allah almighty, Allah will honor him and give him the upper hand with His help; if a person opens a door of giving gifts for cementing relationships with relatives, Allah will give him abundance; and, if a person opens a door of seeking charity for himself to increase his wealth, Allah will further reduce his wealth.’” (Musnad Ahmad).

In Islam, we are always taught to respond with what is best. Sometimes if we are being verbally abused, the easiest thing to do is to respond back, but as the Prophet (pbuh) told us, if we remain silent, then an Angel responds to the slanderer, which is the best form of defense we could obtain. One may wonder still, why we should remain silent when the other person is in the wrong? To truly understand the wisdom behind remaining silent requires both vision and Islamic knowledge.

If the defense of angel doesn’t seem sufficient or if it doesn’t contribute to control over our tongue, then examining the effects of remaining silent surely will suffice. The dream of returning to a united Ummah, lead by a khaliphah, ruled by Sharia Law is a dream shared by almost every Muslim. The dream is surely far, however unity is something that can be established in any community, regardless how small. If one is slandered to his face, his immediate instinct is to reply back to defend his name, however, does the person stop to think of the effects of remaining silent? Provided there is no fitnainvolved in staying silent, a visionary will surely take the latter route of remaining silent because of its positive effects. First and foremost, Allah (swt) prefers us to remain silent, He wants us to practice sabr(patience). The way to practice sabrwhen verbally abused is to remain silent. Once a person responds to a claim, this triggers the possibility of heated debate, something that surely can lead to fragmentation of a community, if the debate causes hate between the opposing sides. However, remaining silent extinguishes any possibility of fruitless debate and potential rifts between members of one community.

Second, as a proper Muslim, we must give our Muslim brother or sister benefit of the doubt. There is the possibility that the slanderer is in a bad mood, and decided to release his anger against the next person passing by! Remaining silent will give the slanderer some perspective, and time to reflect because there was no immediate response. If the falsely accused immediately responded, this would have the ill effect of putting the slanderer on the defense (which requires little thought), rather than giving him time to think. The slanderer will immediately notice that the other person remained silent, which will make him reconsider his claims. If not, at least you did not create conflict with another Muslim community member.

Third, Allah promises something amazing in the Qur’an for those that remain patient. In Surah Fussilat, Allah begins by advising the believers to “repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better,” in this case it would be remaining quiet. After doing the good deed of remaining quiet, Allah promises us that “the one whom between you and him is enmity (will become) as though he was a devoted friend.” Allah will make your enemy into a friend if you remain silent. This is the virtue of remaining quiet. The enemy’s heart will soften to the point that he becomes your friend! This hadith certainly is a key to the creation of a united Ummah. Not only is remaining quiet beneficial for you on the Day of Judgment, good for our Ummah, but it is also a solution for your problem, Allah promises he will turn your enemy into a friend.

Remember remaining silent, the very act of controlling our temper when we are being provoked, is loved by Allah. The Prophet (pbuh) said: “Whoever controls his anger at the time when he has the means to act upon it; Allah will fill his heart with contentment on the Day of Resurrection.” (At-Tabarani). Most of us can hold our anger when we do not have the means to act upon it, but the real test is when we can act upon it, but prevent ourselves from acting for the greater good. The Prophet (pbuh) taught us this when some of the people of Quriesh began to call him Mudhammam (the loathsome). This name began to spread all over Makkah. His companions were terribly hurt and angered to see that he was being mocked. The Prophet (pbuh) tried to ease their pain and told them, “They are only cursing Mudhammam. My name is Muhammad.” (Bukhari). The Prophet (pbuh) could have responded, but this would have diverted from his aims and caused him to be involved with something which is much less important than what he was sent to do, which was to call people to Islam.

Unfortunately, in this day and age, we are quick to react and have given our tongues free reign, whereas the Prophet (pbuh) even once said to Mu’ath bin Jabal (ra) “Will anything else besides (irresponsible) talk cause the people to be thrown into the Hell Fire upon their faces or on their nostrils?” (At-Tirmidhi). The reason the Prophet (pbuh) got up after Abu Bakr replied is because it was Shaytan that provoked Abu Bakr to respond. Shaytan escalated the problem in Abu Bakr’s mind because once you respond, it will lead to a heated dialogue and most likely, enmity will rise between the two men.

Understanding Islam’s perspective on slander is vital because it will strengthen our willpower. If a Muslim is slandered, under Sharia Law, the burden of proof relies on the slanderer. Meaning the person slandered has no obligation to defend himself in an Islamic court of law, rather it is the slanderer that must accumulate and present the proof to support his claim. In our democratic system it is known as, “innocent until proven guilty.” When Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was accused of a false crime, the Islamic court put the burden on the slanderer to prove his claim. When he was unable to prove his slanderous claim, his punishment was 80 whip lashes. Through this entire process, Aisha had no obligation to defend herself under Sharia Law. The lesson to be extracted is if someone slanders an individual, the innocent has no duty to defend themselves. Another lesson to be extracted from this hadith is the punishment of the slanderer. If a slanderer is punished with 80 whip lashes in this world, then imagine his punishment in the hereafter.

This is different than if we find a person abusing someone else, especially if he is weaker. As we know, the Prophet (pbuh) has said “Whoever of you sees a wrong action, let him change it with his hands. If he cannot, then with his tongue. If he cannot do that, then let him hate it in his heart, and that is the weakest of faith.” (Muslim) This should be tempered with the example of the Prophet (pbuh), who did not allow anger to get the best of him or allow foul language to taint his speech.

However, if you want to defend yourself, you have this right. Surah Ali Imran states that you have the right to defend yourself to the point of reaching justice, meaning you can only defend the accusations against you and nothing more. We know that Uthman (ra) was killed brutally at the end of his khilafah by people who spread vicious lies about him. When verbal abuse and slandering reaches the point of fitna, it is incumbent for us to respond in the appropriate manner. The Surah then continues to say that the best of you are those that forgive. Surah al Nahl also states that you can defend yourself up to the point of the actual false statement, but you cannot go beyond that. The Surah again stresses that if you are patient then that is better. The Surah says “be patient, [O Muhammad], and your patience is not but through Allah.” The ayah continues to give us support to be patient by saying do not grieve over them [Quraish] and do not be in distress over what they conspire. Indeed Allah is with those who fear Him and those who are doers of good. In the Prophet’s (pbuh) case, it was better to remain silent, because the words of Qureish were empty and reacting to them would have been the worse option.

Thus, in this scenario, which we all face at some point in our life, the true Islamic visionary would remain silent in time of being personally verbally abused because silence guarantees an angels defense, because silence guarantees a reward in Jannah, because silence guarantees a life in the footsteps of the beloved Prophet, because silence guarantees enemies turning into friends, and because silence guarantees a unified Ummah.

May Allah allow us to follow in the footsteps of his Beloved (peace be upon him)!

In
the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. All Prayers and
Blessings of Allah be upon our master, the most noble Prophet Mohammed.

First
I would like to introduce myself..

*MusliMiss*

I'm
a Muslim lady aiming on spreading the biography of our beloved Prophet
Mohammed. I'm not a historian or an Islamic preacher so I'll base my posts on
Amr Khaled's TV Program "On the Path of the Beloved".

The
program was aired in Ramadan 2005 and shot in Al Madeena Al Monawara. Amr
Khaled did an excellent job lecturing his viewers about the seera (biography)
of Prophet Mohammed and inspired many Muslims to follow his path.

If
you're wondering why I published this blog on this certain date instead of
directly after airing the program in 2005 it's because I never knew that I
needed to speak up for my religion and make it clear for some people that
Islam=Peace and Mohammed=God's Final Messenger.

In
addition Muslims all around the world will acknowledge the birth of Prophet
Mohammed on Thursday 20 March which is 12 Rabee3 Al Awal in the Islamic
Calender therefore the timing is just right to start this blog.

Prophet Mohammed was born on 12 Rabee3 Al Awal in corresponding to the 20th of April 570 AD, 50 days before the year of the elephant in Mekkah. He was named “Mohammed” by his grandfather Abdul Mutalib.

Mohammed wasn’t a common name and so people asked Abdul Mutalib why he didn’t name his grandson after his ancestors and he answered” I wanted him to be thanked on earth by the dwellers of the earth, and in the heavens by the dwellers of the heavens”.

The Prophet’s great grandfather Kusay was the one who united + lead Quraysh and built Dar An-Nadwa.

The Prophet’s great grandfather Hashem was the one who made trade agreements with Arabian tribes + Persion + Romans by negotiating sending the trading caravans of Quraysh i.e. boosting the wealth of Quraysh.

The prophet’s immediate grandfather, Abdul Mutalib was the one responsible for digging the well of Zamzam to offer water to the Arabs. In addition he was the one to stop Abraha when he came to conquer Makkah... Abraha stole people's assets and that led to the famous dialogue between Abraha and Abdul Mutalib..

Abdul Mutalib went to reclaim his camels from Abraha and Abraha laughed and said, “I thought you were coming to negotiate about the Ka3ba that I intend to destroy.”

Abdul Muttalib replied, “The camels are mine, but the Ka3ba has its Lord and He will protect it.”

Abdul Mutalib was right, God protected the Ka3ba by sending birds from the sky that destroyed Abraha's army.

The Prophet’s father Abdullah Ibn Abdul Mutalib died 2-3 months after his marriage to Aminah bint Wahab the Prophet’s mother. He was on a trading trip to Al Sham (Syria) and on his way back to Mekkah he stopped in Al Madeenah to visit his uncles. He spent a few days in Al Madeenah and suddenly became very sick and died.

Prophet Mohammed was born an orphan and a descendant of Prophets & Leaders. He had a noble blood line and high leadership status in Quraysh. His family was well respected and controlled the winter and summer trades.

The birth of Prophet Mohammed was a normal birth and the miracle about it is that it was exactly 50 days before the year of the elephant after Abraha’s defeat when he tried to destroy the Ka3ba.

People of Quraysh were keen that their newborn babies live with the Bedouins in the desert for a healthy atmosphere. They used to have an agreement with the Buni Sa3d tribe that raised their children for two years in exchange for money.

Prophet Mohammed was an orphan so the Buni Sa3d nurses didn’t want to breastfeed him because they feared of not getting paid however one nurse named Halimah didn’t get a child to care for so she took him.

Hilimah took care of the Prophet for 2 years and saw him grow at a fast rate, she said “My tribe lived in a barren desert, and our herds used to graze in the desert but return with stomachs empty of milk. When Mohammed PBUH arrived, my herd went out to graze and was the only one among all the herds to come back full of milk from which Mohammed PBUH and my son were able to drink. When this happened the other herd keepers used to follow my herd to get their share of the blessings. Mohammed PBUH brought us prosperity."

When the Prophet was 6 years old his mother (Aminah bint Wahab) decided to take him to Al Madinah to visit his father’s grave and on their way back to Mekkah she suddenly became sick and died. The prophet saw his mother die in front of his eyes and observed his maid Um Ayman burying her in the ground. This journey was engraved in the Prophet’s memory because he lost the most precious person in his life.

All this was happening to Prophet Mohammed because God was preparing him to lead mankind and know the meaning of life and death from a young age.

Prophet Mohammed went to live with his grandfather Abdul Mutalib who was about 90 years old and one of the leaders of Quraysh. The Prophet loved his grandfather dearly because his mother Aminah bint Wahab believed he had to have a strong bond with his father’s family.

Abdul Mutablib and the leaders of Quraysh used to meet everyday in the Ka3ba and discuss politics, news and economy of Makkah. The Prophet used to attend this meeting with his grandfather instead of playing with the kids of Mekkah. Abdul Mutalib used to lay down his gown on the ground and let Prophet Mohammed sit on it. He always said “This son of mine will be a great man!”. Abdul Mutalib had a feeling Prophet Mohammed was going to be a great leader.

When the Prophet was 8 years old his grandfather Abudl Mutalib died and he was orphaned for the third time. Abdul Mutalib told his son Abu Taleb the Prophet’s uncle to take care of him and his uncle treated him as his own son. Abu Taleb had 10 children so the Prophet was brought up illiterate.

The Prophet learned many skills in his childhood from all the jobs he had and different events that took place.

Prophet Mohammed worked as a shepherd at the age of 8 because he wanted to help his uncle Abu Taleb since he wasn’t rich and had a big family. He then decided to become a trader at the age of 15 and join his uncle on their trade trips to Al Sham (Syria). Becoming a trader helped the Prophet learn how to communicate and deal with all types of people. He also learned how to fight at the age of 15 when he fought with Quraysh in the Battle of Fojar. In this experience he learned the art of being a strong fighter and the importance of negotiating for peace since Quraysh decided sign a peace treaty with the other tribe.

The Prophet lived in 4 houses

-Mother’s House (Aminah bint Wahab)

-Abu Sa3ds in the desert (Halimah Al Sa3deya)

-Grandfather’s House (Abdul Mutalib)

-Uncle’s House (Abu Talib)

and in each house he learned different things and learned to be independent, responsible, serious, and strong. He also always had someone giving him love and affection. God took his mother however he had his grandfather Abdul Mutalib and his wife Hala who’s a cousin of the Prophet’s mother that loved him and took good care of him. Then had his uncle Abu Taleb who loved him dearly and always supported him although he never became Muslim; also Fatima bint Asad his uncle’s wife who was always kind and caring and loved him very much.

Most Prophets suffered like Nuh (AS) “Noah” who was scorn upon by his people, Ibrahim (AS)“Abraham” who was thrown in the fire, Ya'qub (AS) “Jacob” who went blind from sadness for his son, Yusuf (AS) “Joseph” who lost his father and was thrown in a well, Musa (AS) “Moses” who had to leave his country, Isa (AS) “Jesus” who was hurt by his people, and finally Mohammad PBUH all of who initially faced hardships and were then relieved.

At the age of 25 the Prophet was considered an experienced trader and started working for a successful business woman named Khadijah bint Khowayled. He never hesitated about working for a woman and treated her with respect and devotion. He led her caravan to Al Sham (Syria, Lebanon and Jordan) and always returned with profit therefore he was considered a well-established merchant.

Prophet Mohammed PBUH had a cheerful face and was flexible in all his dealings, even during times of disagreement and this cheerfulness is one major requirement for success in business.

Khadijah bint Khowayled was widowed twice and rejected several marriage proposals by the elite of Quraysh who were attracted to her beauty and wealth. She wanted an honest dedicated man and she saw all these characteristics in Mohammed PBUH although he was 15 years younger than her. She was deeply impressed by his incomparable kindness, honesty, and cheerfulness, and so she asked her friend to ask him if he would consider marrying her. The Prophet thought very highly of Khadijah and believed marrying her would be wonderful so he officially proposed to her and she accepted.

Their marriage lasted 25 years: 15 years prior to the prophetic call and 10 years after the prophetic call. Moreover, they had six children: four girls (Zeinab, Roqayia, Om-Kulthom, Fatimah) and two boys that died at birth (Al-Kasem and Abdulla).

The Prophet and Khadijah loved eachother dearly and always supported one another.

Khadijah stood by the Prophet's side during the prophetic call and was the first lady to convert to Islam. She stood by his side and was always supportive when Quraysh gave the Prophet a hard time. That's one of the reasons why God intended for Mohammed to marry an older wiser woman to stand by his side and lift his spirits when the times were tough.

After Khadijah's death the Prophet still thaught about her and every time he heard a knock at the door similar to that of Khadijah, he used to wish that the visitor be her sister Hala because he liked everything that reminded him of her.

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"Truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise"

Those who disbelieve and turn (men) from the way of Allah, He rendereth their actions vain. (1) And those who believe and do good works and believe in that which is revealed unto Muhammad - and it is the truth from their Lord - He riddeth them of their ill-deeds and improveth their state. (2)That is because those who disbelieve follow falsehood and because those who believe follow the truth from their Lord. Thus Allah coineth their similitudes for mankind. (3) -Muhammad [47:3]

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Relieve Your Heart! Think Well of Others!

“Beware of assumptions, for assumption is the falsest of speech, and do not be inquisitive, and do not spy upon one another, and do not vie with one another, and do not envy one another, and do not hate one another, and do not shun one another; be fellow-brothers and slaves of Allah.” (Al-Bukhari: Book 8 Vol. 73 Hadith 92)

When one is not clear about the result of the istikhara, the fuqaha mention that it is recommend to repeat it, upto 7 times if neces...

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا‌ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتۡ وَعَلَيۡہَا مَا ٱكۡتَسَبَتۡ‌ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَا‌ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَآ إِصۡرً۬ا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُ ۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَا‌ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ‌ۖ وَٱعۡفُ عَنَّا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَآ‌ۚ أَنتَ مَوۡلَٮٰنَا فَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡڪَـٰفِرِينَ (﻿٢٨٦﻿)Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk. (286)

اللهممقلبالقلوبثبّتقلبيعلىدينك

Allahumma muqallibul Qulub thabit qalbi 'ala deenek.

"O turner of the hearts! Establish my heart upon Your religion."

sayyidul istighfar

"If a believer says this with complete faith and sincerity in the morning and dies before that evening, he will enter paradise. If he says it during the night and dies before the morning, he will enter paradise."

"O Allah!

You are my Lord.

There is no God except You.

You created me and I am Your slave.

To the best of my ability, I will abide by my covenant and pledge to You.

I seek Your protection from the evil of my own creation.

I acknowledge Your favors to me and I admit my sins.

So please forgive me for no one

can forgive sins except You."

Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 52 :: Hadith 41

Narrated Abdullah bin Masud:

I asked Allah's Apostle, "O Allah's Apostle! What is the best deed?" He replied, "To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times." I asked, "What is next in goodness?" He replied, "To be good and dutiful to your parents." I further asked, what is next in goodness?" He replied, "To participate in Jihad in Allah's Cause." I did not ask Allah's Apostle anymore and if I had asked him more, he would have told me more.

`Ali ibn `Abu Talib.

"Do not ask these three kinds of people to statisfy your needs: the liar, for surely the will make things seem near when they are in distant; the fool, for surely he will want to help you, but will only harm you; and the man whose own need is linked to your needs, for surely he will use your need as a means to secure his own need"

Muhammed (PBUH)

Al-Anbiya [21:107]

And We have sent you (O Muhammad SAW) not but as a mercy for the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).

Al-Fath [48:8]Verily, We have sent you (O muhammad SAW) as a witness, as a bearer of glad tidings, and as a warner

Aal-e-Imran [3:31] Say (O muhammad SAW to mankind): "If you (really) love Allâh then follow me (i.e. accept Islâmic Monotheism, follow the Qur'ân and the Sunnah), Allâh will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

99 Names Of Allah

Say: "Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names."[Al Isra 17:110]